Spelt Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
For quite a while, I had not been baking the kind of cookies I actually enjoy, which is a little sad for someone who loves a good homemade treat. I had started thinking of cookies as something reserved only for special occasions, so when I did bake them, I usually made the one type my husband preferred. They were fine, but they were not really my favorite. Eventually, I realized that cookies do not have to feel like an all-or-nothing dessert. When made with whole grains, simple ingredients, and a little balance, they can be a satisfying homemade treat without feeling overly heavy.
These spelt oatmeal raisin cookies are exactly that kind of cookie. They are still cookies, of course, and they still contain butter and sugar, but the combination of rolled oats and whole spelt flour gives them a heartier texture and a more satisfying bite. I find that whole-grain cookies are easier to enjoy in a reasonable way because they feel more filling than a very light, refined cookie. Instead of wanting to eat half the batch at once, I can enjoy one or two and feel happy with that.
Sometimes I also overcomplicate baking when it really does not need to be complicated. These cookies are simple, comforting, and full of classic oatmeal raisin flavor. They are good as a snack, good with coffee or tea, and good when you want a homemade treat that tastes familiar but has a slightly more wholesome feel. That is really all they need to be.
I have been experimenting with spelt flour lately, and I love the way it works in baked goods. It has a gentle, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, and raisins. In this recipe, spelt flour helps create a cookie that is soft, chewy, and pleasantly rustic without being dense. It is a great flour to try if you already enjoy baking with whole grains but want something a little different from regular whole wheat flour.
One helpful note about this recipe is that the batch can easily be cut in half. If you do not want a large amount of cookies sitting around, simply halve the ingredients and bake a smaller batch. These cookies should also freeze well once baked and cooled, although it can be difficult to save any for the freezer because they are very easy to enjoy fresh. You can also freeze portions of the dough and bake them later if you prefer warm cookies on demand.
Spelt Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe
Slightly adapted from Green Cilantro.
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups whole spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar, or sucanat with 1 or more tablespoons almond milk if needed
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat so the cookies bake evenly and release easily.
In a medium bowl, combine the old-fashioned rolled oats, whole spelt flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Stir the dry ingredients together until they are evenly mixed. The original version of this recipe used toasted oats, and you can toast the oats first if you prefer a deeper flavor. Untoasted oats also work well and keep the recipe simple.
If you would like softer raisins in the finished cookies, place the raisins in a small bowl and cover them with hot water for a few minutes. Drain them well before adding them to the dough. This step is optional, but it can help keep the raisins from pulling moisture from the cookies as they sit. If you are short on time, you can add the raisins directly to the dough and the cookies will still turn out nicely.
In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until the mixture is fluffy and well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat again until the mixture looks creamy.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a thick cookie dough forms. Stir in the raisins until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Drop heaped tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Gently flatten each mound of dough with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, store the spelt oatmeal raisin cookies in an airtight container.
These cookies are chewy, warmly spiced, and full of hearty oat flavor. They are a wonderful choice when you want a classic oatmeal raisin cookie with the added character of whole spelt flour.
